This application requests partial support for the 12th Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Summer Research Conference on Retinoids to be held in Callaway Gardens, Georgia from June 12-17, 2004. This bi-annual research conference has been very well attended (ranging from 150 to 200 attendees over the past 22 years) and remains the sole major national and international conference that addresses the full spectrum of retinoid biology. Knowledge of the importance of retinoids to a diverse group of biologically and medically important processes has increased very rapidly over the last two decades. Nevertheless, there is much that still needs to be learned regarding retinoid actions in both normal human physiology and pathophysiology. To meet this need for information, there is a great deal of ongoing research activity focused on the retinoids (the NIH's CRISP database indicates that 328 funded NIH grants involve some aspect of retinoid biology). The 2004 conference will consist of a plenary lecture, platform presentations and poster sessions that will allow for the exchange of new research findings amongst scientific attendees. Some main topics to be addressed at the conference include: 1) retinoid regulation of transcription; 2) the role of retinoids in maintaining a normal state of cell differentiation and in apoptosis; 3) retinoid uptake and metabolism; 4) retinoid actions in maintaining healthy epithelial linings; 5) retinoid actions in photopreception including vision and photoentrainment of the biologic clock; 6) the role of retinoids in regulating pattern formation and other aspects of embryonic development; and 7) interactions between retinoids and other cell signaling pathways. The overall goal of the proposed conference on retinoids is to bring together a group of investigators who work in diverse disciplines (as biochemists, molecular biologists, nutritional scientists, cancer researchers, developmental biologists, skin biologists, vision researchers, cell biologists, chemists and clinicians) to present and discuss their newest research findings that share a common focus on the retinoids. This conference will provide a forum for the critical review of recent research and for the development of new research ideas and collaborations. This will stimulate new investigations that in time will provide needed insight into the essential actions of retinoids in preventing disease and maintaining good health.